This invention is concerned with the prevention and treatment of virus infections of eye, skin and mucous membrane tissue by the controlled release topical application of interferon inducers.
Interferon is a class of soluble proteins that inhibit virus multiplication. They are produced by cells in response to a virus infection and are not virus-specific in their inhibitory actions.
The cellular production of interferon also can be induced by certain materials other than viruses such as double-standard synthetic polynucleotide complexes (dsRNA) as reported by Field et al., Proc. Nat. Ac. Sci., 58, 1004-1010 (1967), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,702, especially polyriboinosinic acid:polyribocytidylic acid. This material is otherwise known as poly I:poly C, poly I:C, poly rI:poly rC, or rI.sub.n.rC.sub.n and is hereinafter referred to as poly I:C.
Furthermore, dsRNA such as poly I:C have been successfully used to induce resistance against systemic as well as localized infections. Topical application of drugs, including interferon inducers, often require frequent repeated treatments in order to insure adequate drug exposure of the infected tissue. This limitation has been a serious problem, especially for potential application of antiviral drugs to mucous membranes and the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that controlled release topical application of interferon inducers is very effective in the local topical treatment of virus infections of the eye, skin and mucous membrane tissue.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a method of treating virus infections of the eye, skin and mucous membrane tissue by topical application of an interferon inducer by a controlled release means whereby there is provided an optimum amount of interferon inducer at the site of the infection for a prolonged period of time.
It is a further object of this invention to provide controlled release formulations comprising an interferon inducer, particularly for use in the treatment of virus infections of the eye, skin and mucous membrane tissue.